Venice City of Water in Floods

More than 70 percent of Venice city was flooded this week as water levels rose over five feet above normal with the fourth largest tides since at least 1936 causing the worst flooding for years killing at least 11 people in the region with winds from the Adriatic Sea also contributing to the destruction.

The vast expanse of St. Mark’s Square was transformed into a lake causing it to be closed off as it remained under water for a second day with water spilling across ancient marble floors in St. Mark’s Basilica and caused huge damage to many historic sights among further concerns about the saltwater eating its way through the city’s treasures

As the floodwaters rose on Monday, reaching 156 cm above average sea level at their peak, as much as three-quarters of Venice was submerged. Raised walkways were laid out in front of the Doge’s Palace and other parts of the city.

Tourists and residents trudged through the waist-high water, while shops and restaurants were inundated as barriers placed across doorways failed to hold back the rising tide. Shopkeepers used buckets to remove water from their premises.

This week’s flooding was caused by a seasonal high tide and a strong low-pressure system in southern Europe that brought strong winds from the south and pushed water up the Adriatic Sea into Venice. This is the peak time of the year for seasonal flooding known as acqua alta, or high water, in the city.

Long known as the City of Canals or City of Water, Venice faces serious long term threats to its survival . Flooding at high tide has become much more common in Venice because of climate change and sea levels rising globally

Venice has a system in place to monitor tides and warn of high water levels but what role has climate change  played in the destruction?

To add to the city’s problems, Venice also suffers from a major environmental issue. The land is boggy and the city is slowly sinking. The buildings do not have proper foundations and they are gradually subsiding into the waters of the lagoon, with this and ever increasing numbers of tourists and cruise passengers from Mega Ships is literally causing the city to sink

In 2017 the Italian government voted to ban cruise ships of 100,000 tonnes or more from entering the Grand Canal. Work to enable this to happen is expected to take a minimum of four years to complete.

My advice is to visit this Beautiful City while you can as it’s future as a tourist hot spot and favourite cruise port may be in danger